Friday, February 12, 2010

CURRIED PARSNIP & APPLE SOUP

"Steaming hot like hell, spicy like the devil himself and delightfully sweet like love!"

Lately, we've been having cold weather with strong uncanny "bise noire" (Northern wind) and lots of snowfalls. The temperatures have drastically fallen and the air is as crisp as in Siberia...

During those freezing cold days, we all like to keep ourselves warm and cozy as well as eat wintertime food that heats us through and soothes our souls.Therefore, there is nothing better than a steamy and nourishing soup to start a dinner or to serve as main dish!

By now, you must all know that I am somebody who likes to respect seasons and always tries to buy regional/Swiss/neighboring France products. In that way, you ingest less chemicals and don't pollute the planet. During my trips to the (super)market, I only choose seasonal vegetables and fruits. I shun away from the other stuff like bubonic plague...

So, going through my supermarket, I saw some wonderful Geneva root veggies that immediately attracted my eye and pleaded for attention. Those old vegetables are so flavorful, versatile, refined-tasting and interesting that it is impossible not to fall in love with them, especially if you are a foodie.

For this time around, I focused my attention on parsnips, a cousin of the carrot. With their strong and intoxicating perfume, one is assured of making a dish that'll not be forgotten and that'll leave you palate tingle with pleasure.

Once back home, I searched my books and the internet for recipes. I knew I wanted to make a soup and needed to find a dish that is part of the British culinary patrimony, but which would have a little twist. After lots of googling, I found what I was looking for: "Curried Parsnip & Apple Soup".

That velouté soup recipe was so promising. I knew that there was no way it was not going to be successful. That combination (curry, parsnips and apples) is a total winner. After a few simple moves in the kitchen, I ended up with a creamy and multi-scented soup. How delicious!

Method:1. Heat the butter and oil in a large heavy-based pan until the butter begins to foam. Stir in the onions and garlic and cook for 2 minutes to soften.2. Add the ground cumin, the curry powder and ground ginger. Stir until fragrant.3. Add the parsnips, apple and honey and cook for a few minutes. Pour in the stock, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for 20 minutes until the parsnips are cooked.4. In batches, whiz the soup in a blender until smooth and return to the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste and reheat before serving.

Remarks:I used a Granny Smith apple.To change a little from your usual curry powder, try using East African (I used that one), Madras, Sultan Malaysia, Malabar, Siam or Burma curry powders.Serving suggestions:Serve alone or with a good chunk of crusty bread.

78 comments:

Rosa, I love your parsnip photos! I have never cooked with a parsnip - never knew what to expect, but you make it sound so delicious! This soup is indeed a winner - the flavor combination is amazing! What a great recipe!

Like the new look of your blog Rosa! I'm a huge fan of parsnips (oh, how they remind me of Christmas)and also share your beliefs in getting regional produce as it also tastes better. What a gorgeous looking soup, so comforting for these cold days and luckily I've just bought some parsnips. Stunning winter landscape photos too. Have a great weekend!